Recollections of an Old (but young at heart) Oswestrian, circa 1952 - EPISODE 32, THE DAY A PRINCESS CAME TO TOWN (Part 3)

 

At the conclusion of the address by the Princess to the large gathering of boys, parents, and friends on the quadrangle, a vote of thanks was proposed, followed by the singing of a selection of songs by the school choir, culminating in a rousing rendition of the school hymn.

The Headmaster then almost stole the show from his guest of honour by announcing to the assembly that the Duchess had requested that he give the boys two days holiday and, with a genial smile on his face, said that after due consideration he had agreed. The receptive audience erupted into loud cheers of approval, and all memories of refusals of a pass into town on the grounds that it looked distinctly questionable were temporarily forgotten and put on the back burner, to be grumbled about later when all the euphoria had died down.

Boys were still clapping excitedly and snapping photographs as the old man, now fully in his stride, conducted Her Royal Highness through the appreciative crowd, milling around on the playground, towards the laboratory where earlier in the day some of the pupils had been making an exhibition of themselves. There was no change there then!

As Princess Marina did the grand tour of the quadrangle, reloading her elegant black cigarette holder as she went along, she spotted LAST DAY painted on the wall, and enquired as to its origin.

For several weeks prior to Speech Day, boys from various clubs had been hard at work preparing an exhibition of their wide-ranging activities. These took many forms, from making model trains, aircraft and boats, to collecting bows and arrows, stamps, coins, cigarette cards, grasses, butterflies, and birds eggs. There was even a rug making club, and with the benefit of hindsight I should perhaps have joined this outfit, as I could now be sporting a suitably embarrassing covering for my bald pate.

'Nuff'Eastwood (left) and 'Baldie' Williams (right) setting up the model railway exhibit

J Eastwood being presented to the Duchess

It was 'Minnie' Manford, seen next to John Eastwood in the photo, who had been delegated to usher HRH around the exhibition of hobbies in the laboratory, and he told me that he was half expecting her to offer him a cigarette, so charming was she, as he escorted the chain-smoking Duchess around the exhibition.

Naturally, she was very interested in the cigarette cards and Minnie thought she was going to use slight of hand to secrete away one of the cards missing from her collection! The Princess did express a wish to see the trains in action, but, unfortunately, derailments had been a problem with the track layout for the model railway and, true to form, a spectacular failure occured.

Sword of Honour - RAF Cranwell

Also on display was the Sword of Honour which had recently been awarded to Walter Charles OO, during his time at RAF Cranwell. Quite remarkably, I think I am right in saying that his younger brother Michael, who was a prize winner that day and prominent member of the aero-modelling club, also went on to receive the same honour.

On leaving the exhibition the Duchess proceeded to the Headmaster's drive to plant an oak tree commemorating her visit on the bank opposite School House where a flagpole had been erected, along with a flight of steps leading from the Headmaster's garden to the top paddock.

 

View of the planting from School House drive

Once the ceremonial planting was over, the Royal party returned to the drive where boys and parents, waving and cheering in glorious sunshine, watched as Mr Williamson accompanied the smiling Princess to her waiting car as she departed at the end of a very successful day. It will be of interest to my contemporaries to make out in the picture below, Tony Burton and Charles Parker Jones, the tallish very dark haired boy standing to the right of the Headmaster, and who was one of identical twins my brother and I met on our first night at Oswestry back in 1952, and with whom we would share dormitories for several years.

The afternoon finally came to an end with tea, served on the Headmaster's lawn, and a memorable day came to a close; a day which has remained fondly in my recollections ever since. Sadly the oak tree is no longer there, so I am not sure if anything tangible remains to mark the day in 1957 when a Princess came to town.  Memories, just memories!

Tea on the Headmaster's lawn